Stretch Your Dollar in Canada

Are you planning your summer RV trip — as many of us are? Maybe the family wants cooler weather, lots of outdoor adventure, fresh and salt water, golf, great food, wineries, spectacular sights, and more. And what if you could find all of this at a 30 percent savings?

You need to look no further than our neighbor to the north — Canada — especially the eastern provinces that begin just north of Minnesota and cover vast territory from the Great Lakes to the Atlantic.

And the savings? Your U.S. dollar currently is worth an extra 30 percent in Canada — not great for Canadians, but it’s a bonus for U.S. travelers.

Crossing the border — no problem — Just bring a passport and check regulations on firearms, amounts of cash, etc. Consult the Canada Border Services Agency for details.

And Canadians are friendly, proud of their country and eager to show it off to their southern neighbors.

Check out the following Canadian provinces:

Photo Credit: Martin St-Amant

Awesome Ontario

Ontario is Lake Country. One-fifth of the world’s freshwater can be found in Ontario. ONE-FIFTH! Ontario boasts 250,000 lakes, including all the Great Lakes except for Michigan. Fishing, boating, beaching, and paddling abound. Northern Ontario stretches all the way to Hudson Bay and offers outstanding hunting for moose, bear, deer, and waterfowl.

Heading eastward, no trip to Ontario is complete without a visit to Niagara Falls. Most visitors agree that the best views of the famous falls are from the Canadian side.

Photo Credit: Quinte’s Isle Campark

Wineries populate the Niagara area, and further east on Quinte’s Isle in Prince Edward County, Quinte’s Isle Campark — rated 10/10*/10 — is on Lake Ontario. Wine tours and tastings can also be found in the Windsor/Essex areas, easily accessed from Detroit. The 10/10*/10-rated Wildwood Golf and RV Resort welcomes visitors to that area.

RV Parks near Niagara Falls include Campark Resorts Family Camping & RV Resort, Scott’s Family RV Park Campground, and Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park Camp-Resort. Other parks include Woodland Park in walking distance of the world-famous 7-mile Sauble Beach on Lake Huron, WaWa RV Resort & Campground on Lake Superior, and 10/10*/10-rated Fisherman’s Cove Camp & Trailer Park on Otter Lake. Check out all Ontario RV Parks on GoodSam.com/camping.

Ottawa — the nation’s capital — is at the eastern edge of Ontario and very close to Montreal in Quebec. Must sees in Ottawa include Parliament Hill, the Rideau Canal – a World Heritage Site – the National Gallery, and the Canadian Museum of Nature. Spice it up with white-water rafting or enjoy river and canal cruises. Parks in Ottawa include Camp Heather Hills.

The Montreal Biosphere is a museum focused on the environment.(Photo Credit: Ralf Roletschek)

Cool Quebec

Quebec is home to Canada’s French-speaking heritage, and Quebec City is its heart. While French is the primary language, English is readily spoken in most places. But a few “BonJour’s” and “Merci’s” would be appreciated.

In Quebec, travelers will find manicured villages and towns — each with its own church — and showing the pride residents take in keeping things spotless. Quebec City is a cultural and architectural delight. Visitors can ride the gondola, take tours to Montmorency Falls, or take guided walks in the Old Town. Quebec City also boasts an amazing aquarium.

To see some of the best scenery in Quebec, travel by train to Montreal. You’ll also avoid traffic jams as Montreal is much larger and more urban than Quebec City. Montreal is home to many fine dining restaurants, vibrant culture, and top museums. It also is one of the most accessible Canadian cities for pedestrians.

Photo Credit: Bas St Laurent

Close to Quebec City, RVers can find sites at Camping Transit RV Park. The closest RV park to Montreal is the 10/10*/10 rated Camping la Cle des Champs RV Resort. On the scenic Route des Navigateurs along the St Lawrence River is Bas-St.-Laurent Campground.

Peggy’s Cove Harbour. (Photo Credit: Peter K. Burian)

Magical Maritimes

The Maritimes are Canada’s Eastern Seaboard provinces. Newfoundland to the far north is a long trek, but two ferry routes accommodate RVs of all sizes. Travelers who do visit there say it’s been one of their favorite experiences, and it’s a province full of wonderful people. Traveling RVers will find not only great whale watching, fishing, and iceberg watching but also two Good Sam parks — Viking and Pirate’s Haven.

Easily accessible by RV from Quebec or from Maine, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island are all about the water. The Bay of Fundy in New Brunswick boasts the highest tides in the world, and the extreme low tides offer visitors a chance to walk the ocean floor for several hours at a time and explore up close the 20-plus freestanding sea stacks in Hopewell Rocks Provincial Park. You’ll see why the area is one of the Marine Wonders of the World.

New Brunswick was also the original home of the French Acadians who fled to southern Louisiana when the British took over Canada. Now they’re called Cajuns!

Photo Credit: Calibri By the Sea

RV Parks include Camping Colibri, Camping Colibri By the Sea, and Hardings Point on the waterfront in St John’s. Explore the city’s historical district.

Across the Bay of Fundy lies Nova Scotia — surrounded by water except the neck that attaches this province to New Brunswick. Fishing is paramount! See the tall ships at the harbor or take a cruise on one. Explore Peggy’s Cove with guides from Halifax, take a driving tour with audio from your smartphone, or watch for whales. Of special interest are the three Titanic cemeteries in Halifax, where the bodies of the disaster victims were brought ashore by rescue ships. Some of the gravestones bear heart-wrenching messages.

Stay at Baddeck Cabot Trail Campground (10/10*/10), Rayport Campground, or Adventures East Campground & Cottages.

And last, Prince Edward Island is Canada’s smallest province, but it is famous worldwide for its seafood. PEI mussels and oysters headline menus of seafood restaurants across Canada and the U.S. And Lobster — lobster roll shacks line the roads, tempting hungry travelers. PEI also is famous as the home of Anne of Green Gables. Marco Polo Land RV Park in Cavendish is adjacent to the Green Gables Golf Course and sandy dune beaches.

And remember, when sitting in the lower half of North America planning your next RV road trip, all roads lead north!

See more Canadian RV Parks and Campgrounds at GoodSam.com/camping

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